Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founder Thol. Thirumavalavan on Sunday opposed the Centre’s decision to replace post-matric scholarships for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the Other Backward Castes and minorities, with a single scheme, allotting it a budget of just ₹7,000 crore.
He said the move would affect around 60 lakh SC/ST students. In a statement, he said the Union government was also planning to hold entrance tests for the scholarship, which would deny higher education opportunities to SC/ST students.
“If the scholarship to pay their hostel fee is stopped, the SC/ST students will be forced to stop their education. This is nothing but an effort to deny education to shudras and the casteless Scheduled Castes, in accordance with Manusmriti,” he said.
Mr. Thirumavalavan urged Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to announce that the State government would continue with the post-matric scholarships.